Journey's Beginning
by Adarah
Summary: Yes it's another Journey's End fixit, happy endings for everyone! Ten/Rose Ten2/Donna. HE was doing something stupid. HE hadn't even thought about anyone else's feelings, Noo of course not. HE was to busy feeding his martyr complex.


He stood on that horrible beach again, but for the first time. That wouldn't even be the first time something like that had happened, but this was indeed unprecedented. He wasn't even himself. He wasn't even a timelord anymore. He listened to his single heart beating frantically in his chest, he didn't exactly feel human either though. He looked to his progenitor? The fully timelord Doctor and felt disdain, HE was going to do something Monumentally stupid. He looked over at Rose, all the memories of their adventures together played in his mind like a movie. That's all it felt like too, he could remember all the choices HE made, the feelings behind them, but now he disagreed with the decisions made. He continued to study Rose, trying to remember the feelings he had previously held for her. All he could come up with was a fondness almost familial in nature. Not the overwhelming passion he could remember having before waking up in the TARDIS. He turned to look at Donna, his heart seemed to stutter in his chest. He felt a nearly overwhelming desire to go hold her hand. Huh, that's new. She was spouting something about retro closers and he felt the very distinct and disturbing need to snog her. The Doctor was talking about being home, he could hear Roses incredulous response. Yup HE was doing something stupid. HE hadn't even thought about anyone else's feelings, Noo of course not. HE was to busy feeding his martyr complex. Bloody git. Oh and now he was calling him the cost of saving the multi-verse, the self-righteous ponce.

"You made me." his words were for his double but he was looking at Donna. His heart was aching with the thought that Donna was ashamed of him. She was silent on the matter.

He came to the startling revelation that the great big moron was trying to pawn Rose off on him. Great. Wonderful. Fantastic. He stopped listening to them going back and forth, instead concentrating on the feeling of Donna in his mind. It was more than a two-way biological metacrisis. He felt what she was feeling even now, more than he should even if they where both fully timelord. It almost felt like a Gallifreyan mating bond. Oh!... that explained a couple of things, he had been wondering why her head hadn't exploded. He carefully caressed that place in his mind that connected to hers, and watched in satisfaction as Donna shivered. He smirked. She was staring at him in shock as the implications of that stroke broke across her face, he felt her shock at her own desire for him. He leered. He felt her indignation and the equivalent of a mental slap. That's his Donna he thought affectionately. He started listening to the other two now right as Rose said they weren't the same man, he couldn't agree more. The Doctor's response of him needing her, that being very him, caused him to snort. That seemed to get the Doctors attention.

"Oh no," he said as he nodded at Rose "She's right I'm not you. Same face, same memories, TOTALLY different feelings. I mean not to be rude or anything" he continued, turning back to Rose now. "but I don't feel the same way about you that he does."

"What!?" The Doctor's incredulous cry came at the same time as Rose pleaded

"And how does he feel about me?"

He thought about answering her question. He could really save the big dumbo some pain and just get it over with for him. He felt Donna then, in his mind prodding him to leave it for him to say. That you really want to hear that for the first time coming directly from the person and not an intermediary. He felt his desire, love and admiration for her expanding in his chest. He smiled as he watched her blush.

"WHAT?" The Doctor apparently still wasn't getting it.

He sighed, turned back to Rose he said "That's for him to tell you. Not that he will, the stupid dumbo."

Rose reared back like he had slapped her. He realized she HAD been thinking they were the same man up until that point. _He hoped he hadn't offended his future sister-in-law_. He made sure to broadcast that last thought in a way that he knew the timelord would hear, and took great satisfaction at the strangled off cry he heard from the other man. He finally looked back at him, he looked like he had just been told the multi-verse was still going to blow up.

Donna shoved the Doctor toward Rose. "Tell her timeboy"

The Doctor stumbled forward as Rose took a step forward. He was opening and closing his mouth like a landed guppy. Rose ever knowing how to handle the Doctor took the initiative.

"The last time we were on this beach what was the last thing you said to me?" She asked

"I said Rose Tyler" he began and then staled as he stared at her.

He hoped he wasn't as stupid as his predecessor and decided he wouldn't even pretend to be so repressed. He showed Donna his desire to find the nearest horizontal surface as soon as they where safely in the vortex. He felt her amusement and embarrassment. Then on the heels of those wonderful emotions came her horror. His eyes snapped to hers from where they had been perusing her body.

_We could be brother and sister. Two way metacrisis. _

_Oh... How do you feel about that kind of thing?_

He felt her indignation and outrage, hiding her pain and anguish. He felt his chest constrict.

_Well that might be just fine on Gallifrey sunshine but on Earth that is just WRONG._

_You know as well as I do that is also taboo on Gallifrey, hell so is fraternizing with 'inferior' species. We're BONDED Donna, I know you know what that means. There's no going back. _

He felt her hurt and confusion her fear and stubbornness. He realized he was taking out his anger and frustration on her.

_Okay, _he forced himself to calm down._ first thing we'll do, as soon as we're safely in the vortex is go to the infirmary to do some genetic tests. Then, when we know more we can decide were to go from there._

_I'm not mating with my brother. _He felt her stubborn determination solidify like steel

_Of course not...What if you're my mummy? _He thought back trying to make light of the situation.

The mental slap he received was in no way playful, in fact it nearly knocked him unconscious. Right, never tease a sexually frustrated bondsmate about sex. Yep that was going right up there with; Never upset Jackie Tyler and; Don't taunt a Falgulian demon bear. He turned to see if his brother had overheard the mental conversation and did a double take. They were snogging. Not just a we-saved-the-world snog but a I'm-gonna-take-you-right-here-and-now snog. What had he missed? he quickly replayed the conversation that he hadn't paid attention to.

"Right, and how was that sentence going to end?" Rose asked nearly breathless.

The Doctor continued with his fish impression for a few more seconds, then seeming to steel himself he stepped forward leaned down so his mouth was next to her ear and whispered his answer. Pulling back he watched her face intensely, trying to hide his fear. Rose stood there for a moment without moving, then seemed to come out of whatever trance she was in and grabbed the Doctor by the tie and met his lips with hers.

The snogging continued. Rassilon how are they breathing? Rose doesn't have a respiratory bypass, does she. He realized Dumbo had never done a full genetic mark up on her after the events on the Gamestation. Negligent b... he realized with a start he was jealous. He had no romantic feelings for Rose what-so-ever, so why was he jealous. He looked over at Donna. She had blocked him out, not totally, because that would be impossible, but still enough to make him uncomfortable. He could still feel her hurt, the pain that he had caused and he cursed himself. He threw his side of the bond wide open and sent her his love and apology. He broadcast how sorry he was for being an idiot, that he had been joking, he would never force her into something. That if they were genetically related he wouldn't ever go there and he would stay with her no matter what happened. The bond was keeping her alive, he loved her, even if they never completed the bond he would stay. He would live the rest of his life in sexually frustrated misery, with joy, so long as she was happy and alive.

He felt Donna open the bond tentatively._ You really feel that way?_

_Of course I do. _He invited her into his emotions. Let her swim through them. He felt her reel from his sincerity. Felt her blush at the force of his desire. Felt the instant she realized he would hold his passions back for her, indefinitely if he had to. She showed him that with the bond driving them on he physically wouldn't be able to.

_There's three of us now Donna, we'll be able to find a way._ But he was terrified that they wouldn't and he would do the unthinkable. Where was this coming from, what was wrong with him. He had never been this... out of control as a timelord. He looked back at the Doctor. Yep, still snogging. So were they infected with some alien aphrodisiac on the Dalek Crucible? Two words seemed to float into his brain from nowhere. Biological Imperative. Fantastic. They were going to repopulate the species. Another fantasy floated into his head, yep he was defiantly randy enough to repopulate the species. Wait, that fantasy had been Donna's. He jerked his head to look at her. She was flushing brilliantly.

He looked into the overcast sky _Rassilon PLEASE let us be genetically unrelated. I wont survive if we are._

The TARDIS made an inpatient noise which finally broke up the snogging couple. The Doctor was flushed as he pulled back to look at Rose. "Right" he said as he tried to pull himself together. "So... Rose Tyler, do you still want to travel... with me?" be finished almost uncertainly. Ya like a woman searches the entire multi-verse before deciding she doesn't want you.

"With us." He corrected.

That seemed to clear the rest of the Doctors fog.

Roses answering "YES" came at the same time as the Doctors "WHAT?"

He smirked. "Weellllll. Rose is coming with us for you." he said pointing at the Doctor. "I'm coming a little because the TARDIS is still sort of mine and a LOT because I'm hers." he pointed at Donna. In a quieter almost conspiratorial tone "And I think she just might fancy me." he added with a wink and a lascivious grin. Rose giggled, the Doctor just looked horrified.

"WHAT! Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, just a, just wait. Are you..." The Doctor couldn't seem to finish a thought.

"Yep" he said popping the p. "I was born bonded" over-pronouncing the b's

"I hate to interrupt, but walls of the universe closing forever and everything." came Donna's voice from behind the Doctor.

The Doctor looked liked he was trying to give himself whiplash, the way his head was going back and forth between his duplicate and Donna. He sighed giving up on the timelord for now and looked at Rose. He nodded toward Jackie and Rose nodded. Stepping away from the Doctor she walked toward her mother.

"Mum..." She started quietly and tears welled in her eyes.

"I know sweetheart. Your father's on his way, he's bringing Tony with him." Jackie smiled, still on the verge of tears herself.

Rose nodded "Tell them I love them." Jackie nodded as tears fell down her face. "I love you mum."

"I love you too sweet heart." She said pulling Rose into a bear hug. "Make sure he treats you right." She whispered. Looking at the duplicate over Roses shoulder. He nodded in promise.

"Alright everyone, into the TARDIS. You too timeboy." Donna said to the still flabbergasted timelord.

He followed Donna into the TARDIS. As he past, the Doctor snagged his arm and looked him in the eye. "We need to talk as soon as this is done." He nodded, and continued onto the TARDIS.

He joined Donna at the console and helped her prep for dematerialization. Jackie's voice wafted in thought the doors

"You promise me you'll take care of her, that she'll come first."

The Doctors somewhat stoic response of "I promise." made him shake his head. He'd make sure the moron would though. Rose came up the ramp followed by the Doctor who closed the doors and joined them at the console. They were silent as they piloted the TARDIS to the other universe. Rose sat on the jump seat pulling herself together. Once they were safely parked in the vortex he took a deep breath trying to center himself.

"Okay. Everyone to the infirmary." he announced.

Donna started moving instantly.

"What?" was the simultaneous reply from the other two.

He sighed as he watched Donna leave. He knew she was going to prep all the tests while he explained things. Wonderful division of labor, it felt simply domestic. And now that word had the complete opposite feelings attached to it. He turned back to the others.

"We need to see how far the metacrisis went. I thought we might as well check on Rose too while we're at it. And if the metacrisis went the way I'm afraid it did we'll need your help fixing or at least coping with it."

The Doctor nodded dejectedly "You know what we'll have to do if it did." he bit out angrily, but almost resigned.

"Like Bloody Hell!" He yelled, ready to fight to protect his bondsmate.

"What are you two talking about." Came Roses frustrated demand.

He took several deep breaths trying to calm himself. When it became apparent the Doctor wasn't going to answer he snapped. Turning to Rose he started ranting with barely controlled rage.

"The metacrisis went both ways, I might be part human, part Donna, She's part timelord, part me, We're bonded, I was born bonded to her." at Roses blank stare, he looked up to the TARDIS, took another deep breath, then looked back at her. "She might be my sister." Still she didn't show the comprehension he was looking for. "I might be MARRIED to my SISTER." There it was, the horror, shock and pity he was looking for. "Yep and that's not all." He said like some sick game show announcer. "Humans can't handle a timelord consciousness Rose. The Metacrisis should of killed her, but somehow the bond is keeping her mind stable. So, if we are siblings and out of decency we cut the bond she'll die. So here we are. If she's my sister I can go against nature and let the unfulfilled bond slowly drive us both insane or break it and let her die." He turned to the Doctor who was projecting his rage and pity and in a deadly quiet voice said "I wont let you kill her."

"A memory -" the Doctor started but was cut off by the yell

"SHE'D RATHER DIE" He felt Donna's calming emotions spreading over him like a balm. He continued much more calm now "This is all just speculation until we do the tests."

"Why do you want to check on me then?" asked Rose

"Well to start, the great big outer space dunce didn't ever scan you after the Gamestation, also I'd like to know if all the dimension jumping did any damage."

She nodded her accent, hopped off the jump seat and headed back toward the infirmary. She gave his arm a squeeze as she passed and murmured "it'll be okay." before she slipped past.

The Doctor fixed him with a hard glare.

"She's my bondsmate" he said brokenly.

"And how does that feel?" The Doctor his genuine curiosity laced with pity.

"Fantastic!" He exclaimed on a sob.

The Doctor closed the space between them and caught him in a hug. He held on to this man who was sort of his brother, sort of his father and almost himself and tried to keep it together.

"Dalek Caan said that one of you would still die." The Doctor whispered.

Another choked sob escaped him. "Then Rassilon let it be me. If we can find a way to stabilize the timelord consciousness without the bond, we can still save her." He straightened from the Doctors hold "Donna says the tests are ready to go." He said as he reigned in his emotions.

As they enter the infirmary together they find Rose and Donna standing at a console examining a DNA strand. They join the women, peering over their shoulders.

The Doctor puts on his specs. "This is ancient Gallifreyan DNA. Halfway to being timelord TNA. That's impossible."

"You aren't half pompace." He says staring at the Doctor "When are you gonna get it through your thick timelord brain that you have no idea what impossible means."

The Doctor stares at Donna "But how is that possible, I thought..."

"Oh no sunshine that's Roses DNA." Donna Says still looking at the readout.

"What? But how? I... What?" The Doctor sounds more lost with every syllable that comes out of his mouth.

"Bad Wolf." He says solemnly. The others turn to him, concern, terror and curiosity writ on their faces.

"What?" The now white-faced Doctor breaths

He shrugs. "She piloted the TARDIS, turned an entire Dalek fleet to dust, made Jack immortal, and that's just what you saw her do. I think that, ya, she could turn herself Gallifreyan."

"Wait I'm like you now?" Rose asks as she looks at the Doctor. He nods mutely. "You mean I'll live as long as you now?" Again he nods. She lets out a squeal of delight and jumps into the Doctor's arms to kiss him.

"Aaaannd they're snogging again. Yep just rub it in." He grumbles. Donna elbows him. He sighs "Alright lets get this over with."

"What's the verdict?" He asks apprehensively as he gets up from the full body scanner and joins the others at the display screen. Their silence is unnerving him. As he looks at the screen he understands their disbelief. As the Doctor mumbles "impossible" He crows "I'm a full timelord!" grabbing Donna intent on snogging her senseless. Just before his lips touch hers she shoves him away.

"Oi, I still may be related."

"Right, right." He sighs, trying to take back control of his body.

"But you only have one heart." Rose brings out.

He may not have any romantic feelings for her but his pride for her swells. It feels more like she's his clever little sister. He smiles broadly as he whispers to Donna "your turn". He watches her walk to the full body scanner as his brother launches into lecture mode.

"Regeneration error. Dodgy process. Could end up with two heads, no head... anything really. Once knew someone that spent an entire regeneration looking like a Ridghilian Slug person. She was a bit off her rocker that one. Decided she wanted to tinker with her genetic code. She left a slime trail..."

"So he'll regenerate? Like you?" Rose asked, trying to get him back on track.

"hmmm? Oh! Yes, he should be able to."

"Sooo. Will you both always have the same face?"

"Probably not." The Doctor hedged.

"NO." He said probably a little too forcefully. He looked up from the completed scan as the computer compiled the data, to see Roses confusion.

"Umm..." the Doctor began.

Donna hopped off the scanner and sighed, gaining Roses attention. "Timelords can somewhat control what they look like during a regeneration. He's just never been very good at it." She said pointing to the Doctor.

"Hey!" The Doctor exclaimed. "I did this didn't I." he said proudly, waving his hand around his face.

"You did what?" asked Rose in amusement.

"What?" the Doctor asked, trying, and failing, for innocent.

He watched this exchange with a great amount of fondness. Turning to Donna as she joins him at the screen, he took her hand and threaded his fingers through hers. She squeezed his hand as the computer beeped with the results. The other two fell silent and joined them at the screen. Everyone seemed to hold their breath as he queue up the results of the scan.

"That looks like my scan." Rose sounded confused, but still was able to sum it up quite nicely.

"Ancient Gallifreyan DNA. Halfway to being timelord TNA." He echoes the Doctors previous diagnoses.

"How is that possible." the Doctor breathed.

"Artron Particles." Donna says with quite reverence.

As they stared at her, he taps into what she was thinking/remembering. The Artron Particles surrounding her looking a lot like Rose as the Bad Wolf, what a coincidence. The scan the Doctor did to confirm the particles were gone, but none to see if they had any other ill effects on her. She must have been changing the entire time, slowly at first, with no timelord conscience to oversee the matter. Then... It wasn't a Metacrisis at all. It was closer to a Biogenetic Homogeneous Catalysis.

"Huh?" Rose asked, sounding bewildered and confused. He realized he had been talking out loud and decided to finish the thought.

"She jump started my motor." He grins at Rose, turns back to Donna and continues "Here I am a hand in a jar surrounded and suffused with regeneration energy, and I have no IDEA how to start the process. Then Donna comes along and touches the jar, and WHAM! I start to regenerate... well, generate more accurately. And because I'm generating, and don't exactly have conscious thought yet, and she touched me at such an intimate time, I grabbed on and bonded. Then that business with Davros. The shock he gave you was JUST the amount of energy you needed to seat the bond and by extension the timelord consciousness in your mind so you wouldn't fry."

Donna was still staring at the monitor fiddling with the computer as he's been on his informational rant, and now he felt her elation and a desire to match his own well up in her. He glances at the monitor to see what information has effected her like this. He barely catches the comparative genetic test results on the screen before Donna's arms are around his neck and her lips are claiming his. No match flashes on the screen as his hands grip her bum and he's snogging her back. His time since flees him and he has no idea how long he has been snogging her before she starts to pull back and the room seems to come back into focus. He can hear feminine giggles and someone clearing their throat somewhere behind Donna. He pulls back and glower at his brother over Donna's shoulder.

"Yes, well. I think it would be a good idea if you found a more private area to... complete the bond." the Doctor suggests in embarrassed amusement.

He can feel Donna's embarrassed grin where she's hiding her face in his neck. He grins.

"And that will give you a chance to talk to Rose about bonding." He says with a cheeky wink.

He takes Donna's hand and runs out of the infirmary to the sounds of the Doctors splutter and Roses suggestive voice saying "Yes Doctor, tell me about bonding."


End file.
